The Physician
THE PHYSICIAN
Reynaldo O. Joson, M.D.
*What is a physician?
A physician is
a human being with a medical profession
who deals with the health needs and health problems of human beings
to make a living
to serve the health needs and
to solve the health problems of human beings.
*Does the physician deal with individual human beings or groups of human beings?
The physician deals with individual human beings and groups of human beings.
The physician is concerned with the health needs and problems of individual human
beings.
However, since the health of an individual human being may be affected by the health
of his family and the health of the community he lives in, the physician will
unavoidably deal also with the health of families and the health of the community.
*What are the health needs of individuals, families, and communities?
They want to stay healthy. In other words, the health need is health maintenance.
*What is health or when do you say an individual, a family, and a community is healthy?
Health, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), is the state of physical, mental, and social well-being and not the mere absence of disease.
An individual is said to be healthy if he has no disease and if he has a physical, mental, and social well being, i.e., he is socially and economically productive.
A family is said to be healthy if majority of the members of the family have no disease and that the family is functioning properly as a whole in the society, i.e., socially and economically productive.
A community is said to be healthy if majority of the members of the community have no disease and that the community is functioning properly as a whole, i.e., socially and economically productive.
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*What are the health problems of individuals, families, and communities?
The health problems are diseases, which prevent individuals, families, and communities from being socially and economically productive.
*What are diseases?
Diseases are conditions that can kill an individual, families, and a community.
Diseases are conditions that can cripple individuals, families, and communities so as to prevent them from being socially and economically productive.
*Why does a person study to become a physician?
He studies to become a physician
1. To make a living out of the medical profession.
2. To serve the health needs and solve the health problems of human beings (individuals, families, and communities).
He must balance the two purposes.
He must have an outcome parameter for the two purposes.
To make a living
He must not overcharge.
He must not charge exorbitant fees, even to rich people who can afford.
He charges the usual fees (with reference to societal practice) which he thinks are
reasonable (in terms of time and labor) and which will promote goodwill
among his patients and their families.
He must be prepared to charge a nominal fee to those who cannot afford his usual
fee.
He must be prepared to give free services to those who cannot afford to pay.
He must have a social conscience.
To serve the health needs and to solve the health problems
He promotes health.
He prevents diseases.
He treats and promotes cure in persons with diseases.
He rehabilitates persons after treatment of their diseases.
He develops healthy individuals, families, and communities.
*How does one become a physician?
He undergoes training to become a physician.
He must fulfill the government requirements.
- M.D. degree from an approved medical school
- One year of internship
- Certification by the Professional Regulation Commission after passing the
Philippine Board of Medicine examination
He must acquire the competencies expected of a physician.
To be able to serve the health needs and to be able to solve the health problems of individuals, families, and communities so as to make them healthy and
socially and economically productive.
Specifically,
To be able to solve the health problems of a community.
To be an effective, efficient, and humane physician.
To be self-directed physician in his continuing medical education.
To be an effective and efficient administrator of a health care unit.
To be able to conduct health researches.
To be able to conduct health education.
To be able to serve as a role model in health promotion.
To be able to pass the Philippine Board of Medicine examination.
VISION-MISSION-GOAL OF A PHYSICIAN-TO-BE
ROJ@17apr5;17apr9